CAMDEN BARS - Tony's Grille

TONY'S GRILL
529 South 6th Street
Southwest corner of South 6th & Clinton Streets

The bar at 529 South 6th Street received its license shortly after the repeal of Prohibition in 1933. By 1946 it was known as Tony's Grille, and was was owned by partners Marco DiGiamberardino and his nephew, Anthony M. "Tony Patch" Patragnoni. The bar operated through at least 1977.

Anthony M. Patragnoni was born on January 13, 1922 to Sabatino and Concetta Patragnoni. By 1930 the family was living at 434 Line Street, where the elder Patragnoni worked as a laborer in a wool factory. Anthony Patragnoni would live at 434 Line Street through the late 1970s. His last years were spent living at Pine Beach in Ocean County NJ. He passed away on November 12, 1989. A 1940 graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School on Federal Street in East Camden, he reunited with his high school sweetheart in his later year.

Marco DiGiamberardino was born on April 26, 1896 in Italy. his sister Concetta was married to Sabatino Patragnoni. He had lived in Camden NJ, but by 1946 had moved with his wife Josephine to 309 Black Horse Pike in Mount Ephraim NJ. He died on November 29, 1964, survived by his wife, who passed away on January 6, 1997 at the age of 92.

Tony's Grille shut its doors in the late 1970s. There has not been an operating bar at 529 South 6th Street since then.

On May 18, 2018 Ralph Lind wrote:

"Tony would have been thrilled knowing his bar would live in perpetuity. Tony and I were good friends, he attended my wedding . I hung in Tony’s from 1963 thru 1973. My “clique" was Reds Nutter, George Blair, Al Chrisanti, and GiGi Meccariello. All are now deceased. I spent many a happy hour in Tony’s. I also have fond memories of bartenders George, Lenny and sometime Mark(o) and waitress Bert. I am 80 years old."

Tony's Grill Token